


Is Doctor Strange fearless?

by startrekfan



Series: Doctor Strange Metas [11]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Analysis, Canon, Character Analysis, Gen, Headcanon, Meta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 15:22:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14897084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/startrekfan/pseuds/startrekfan





	Is Doctor Strange fearless?

### A misconception about Dr. Strange is that he's fearless. He's very reckless sometimes but The Ancient One implies Stephen is lowkey scared all the time. He's brave but he's scared too, learning to let both his ego and his fear go so he can the best sorcerer he can be.

He tries to look invincible all the time. Partially because of his ego and partially because he has to (potential enemies have to think he’s tough, otherwise they would attack right away).

I love the way there are so many subtle details, even if some of them are just a theory, I personally think many are valid, like Stephen wearing the gloves to hide his hands (if an enemy knew about that weakness, Stephen could be in disadvantage or even worse: an enemy who defeated Stephen somehow could even use his hands to torture him or something). There are also all that cloth he wraps around his wrists. Some theorists say he does that to hide scars from the accident, others say he hides suicide attempt marks or self harm scars and others even say he does that to relieve the constant pain and reduce impact while fighting, and I personally agree a lot with that one because it makes a lot of sense. 

 

 

 

 

Stephen is really afraid of what’s going on around him, he’s afraid to lose, but the point is: he tries to solve the problem regardless, what makes him brave. I mean, he decided to die over and over and suffer in Dormammu’s hands in order to save the Earth. Dormammu probably didn’t just kill him all those times, but also tortured him and made him suffer, but even so, he never broke the loop, not until Dormammu gave up. Emotions affect him a lot and he makes a lot of drama, but in the end, he uses logic to solve the problems, he thinks and he decides and when he wins, the big picture makes him look invincible while actually he felt fear, he had emotional breakdowns and even pretended to be more arrogant than he actually is in order to keep the mask on. 

We’re watching Stephen’s evolution as a sorcerer and as a person. In the comics we can see that so clearly already. Before, he’s so scared of dying, then he gets suicidal, then he gets scared and lost, then he stops fearing death…and it’s a true roller coaster of emotions, where we see him killing himself because he had to sacrifice (meaning, not being able to save) innocents in order to save the Earth. He develops such a great love for life that many times he just stops caring about his own.

 

But of course, his emotions make his head spin a lot. Sometimes he’s afraid of dying not because he fears death, but because he fears not being able to protect the world anymore. 

He’s so complex, he even might have ADD in the way the MCU portrayed him in the movie, but he found a lot of ways and strategies to focus when he needs to focus. 

 

[ ](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FyqKtOLxcz4/Wr74z7XHwqI/AAAAAAAAKNU/MgJZTsKIYiAkdrxtBqXRRkNQyt1vLac0ACLcBGAs/s1600/257412591018202.jpg)

 

 

Stephen Strange is among the most human characters from Marvel. In the comics, he also shows a great tendency to depression, suicidal behavior, post traumatic stress and others. He’s also portrayed (comics) in a way the readers can have theories about he being bisexual since there are so many little hints, little jokes, little looks, subtle suggestions etc. That’s something very hard to prove because you have to read the comics to notice those details and even so, it’s not possible to be 100% sure so far, most likely because in 1963 people were a lot more intolerant (when the Dr.Strange comics first came out).

The point I’m trying to make is that Stephen, even being soooo complex, still is one of the most powerful characters ever, he wasn’t stereotyped because he had depression or because he went through an alcoholic crisis or because he could be bisexual, he is who he is and he’s so damn amazing!

I think that’s why he’s such an inspiring character. Even being so different in so many little things, he’s so strong and so unique in his own way, what somehow gives us strength and inspiration.


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